River stage
Wheeling, Ohio River
- River level
- 17.04 ft
- Status
- Below flood stage
- 7-day change
- +0.89 ft
- Recent high
- 20.06 ft
- Recent low
- 15.48 ft
Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS WLGW2
- 30-day change
- -1.49 ft
- Average
- 16.81 ft
- Readings
- 122
- Data span
- 122 days
- Record crest
- 55.20 ft
In brief
The Ohio River at Wheeling, WV read 17.04 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 9.66 ft below action stage. That is 1.49 ft lower than 30 days earlier.
Source: National Weather Service gauge WLGW2
Water 65 °F (18 °C) · about normal for this date
River level timeline
Stage threshold profile
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Crest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 55.20 ft | 1936-03-19 |
| 2 | 51.50 ft | 1942-12-31 |
| 3 | 51.20 ft | 1913-03-28 |
| 4 | 50.10 ft | 1907-03-15 |
| 5 | 48.70 ft | 1937-01-26 |
| 6 | 47.30 ft | 1945-03-08 |
| 7 | 47.00 ft | 1964-03-12 |
| 8 | 46.60 ft | 1972-06-23 |
Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.
What happens at each level
- 34.00 ft
Sewers begin to back up in the lower end of Wheeling Island.
- 36.00 ft
Flooding begins in the vicinity or 25th and Market Streets, 34th and Market Streets, 36th and Chapline Streets in Wheeling. Water covers the lower parking lot at the Wheeling Island Casino.
- 36.60 ft
Wheeling Downs Racetrack on Wheeling Island floods.
- 37.70 ft
Basement flooding begins in businesses along Main Street.
- 38.00 ft
Portions of Jacob and Wood Streets, south of 43rd Street begin to flood. Wheeling island Casino has to be closed.
- 39.00 ft
The southern tip of Wheeling Island including Wheeling Downs Racetrack and Gaming and Wheeling Stadium are flooded.
- 40.00 ft
Backwater flooding begins to affect Main Street near the water treatment plant in Wheeling.
- 41.00 ft
Water street in Wheeling is flooded near the intersctions with 12th, 21st, 45th, and 48th Streets.
- 42.00 ft
Flooding reaches the intersection of 39th and McColloch Streets and the intersection of Georgia and North Front Streets in Wheeling.
- 42.70 ft
Much of southern half of Wheeling Island is flooded and up to Erie Street on the northern half of the island. Low lying sections of South Wheeling are flooded.
Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Ohio River flooding at Wheeling?
No. The Ohio River at Wheeling is at 17.04 ft, 9.66 ft below action stage.
What is the flood stage at Wheeling?
The National Weather Service sets action stage 26.7 ft, minor flooding 36 ft, moderate flooding 40 ft and major flooding 42 ft.
What is the highest the Ohio River has been at Wheeling?
The highest crest on record is 55.2 ft, on 1936-03-19.
Is the Ohio River high or low right now at Wheeling?
At 17.04 ft it is higher than 73% of readings over the last 122 days.
How warm is the water at Wheeling, Ohio River?
The water temperature at Wheeling, Ohio River is 65 °F (18.1 °C), measured 6:30 pm by USGS, which is about average for this date over the past ten years. It has risen 0.6 °F in the last 24 hours.
Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge WLGW2); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 03112500). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.